A typical vehicle air bag assembly comprises an inflatable air bag stored in a container, and an inflator coupled to the container and in fluid communication with the air bag. The inflator is actuated at the onset of a collision, and rapidly directs an inert, non-toxic fluid through a fluid discharge port structure. The inflator is coupled to the container in a particular orientation such that the fluid directed through the fluid discharge port structure flows into the air bag and rapidly inflates the air bag to a predetermined configuration within a predetermined time frame. The inflated air bag cushions and retards forward movement of the vehicle occupant who is being pitched forward during the collision.
When an inflator is coupled to an air bag container, it is important that the inflator, and in particular the fluid discharge port structure, is precisely oriented relative to the air bag, so that during a collision the air bag is rapidly inflated to its predetermined configuration in the predetermined time frame. Thus, in an air bag assembly designed for a particular make of vehicle, an inflator will be coupled to an air bag container in an orientation which has been predetermined for that make of vehicle. Moreover, when producing large quantities of air bag assemblies for that make of vehicle, the inflators must all be consistently coupled to their respective containers in the same predetermined orientation, so that all air bag assemblies for that make of vehicle will function in a consistent, predictable manner.
Still further, applicants believe that in some circumstances, it may be useful to form air bag assemblies using the same basic container structure, but reorienting the inflators in the air bag assemblies. Examples of such circumstances include: i) reorienting inflators to account for different locations of air bag assemblies within different makes of vehicles; ii) reorienting inflators on account of different types, sizes or configurations of air bags in the air bag assemblies; iii) reorienting inflators on account of changes in the type, size or configuration of the inflators being incorporated in the air bag assemblies; and iv) combinations of the foregoing.
In addition, applicants believe it is desirable to provide an air bag assembly with a container which has the flexibility to accept inflators of slightly varying lengths or diameters without structurally modifying the container. Still further, applicants believe it is desirable to provide protection for the squib wires and associated wire harness elements on the end of the inflator. Protection for the squib wires and associated wire harness elements can be important in the event the inflator or air bag container is dropped or struck during installation on the vehicle.
Also, applicants believe that in an air bag assembly, it can be useful to provide an intermediate member between an inflator and a structural portion of a container for purposes such as: i) thermal insulation, ii) vibration damping, iii) corrosion protection, and iv) combinations of the foregoing.
In the past it has been common to couple an inflator directly to a structural part of the container, and to design the inflator and the structural part of the container to cooperate to orient the inflator properly in the container. For example, in Risko, U.S. Pat. No. 4,153,273, a cylindrical inflator is side-loaded into a reaction can. A threaded stud at one end of the inflator is received in a hole formed in one sidewall of the reaction can. A nut is drawn down on the threaded stud to couple the one end of the inflator to the reaction can and to trap the mouth of an air bag within the reaction can. The other end of the inflator includes an annular tapered flange which is frictionally trapped in an aperture formed in the opposing sidewall of the reaction can. The flange includes a radially extending key member which is designed to be received in a notch in the wall of the reaction can. During installation of the inflator within the reaction can, the inflator must be rotated until the key member can be inserted in the notch in the wall of the reaction can to align gas flow openings of the inflator properly relative to the air bag.
In the air bag assembly of the type shown in Risko, the orientation of the inflator in the container is initially determined by the location of the key member on the inflator and the location of the notch in the reaction can. In order to reorient the inflator in the reaction can, it would be necessary to modify the inflator housing, the reaction can, or both. Structurally modifying the reaction can or inflator housing can require retooling or modification of the dies and/or molds used in the formation of one (or both) of these components. Moreover, the structure of Risko does not appear to provide specific protection for squib wires and obviously does not have a separate intermediate member between an inflator and a structural portion of a container for any of the purposes set forth above.